Geochronology, Geochemistry and Geodynamics of the Cabo de Gata volcanic zone, Southeastern Spain

Abstract

New 40Ar/39Ar ages and major and trace element geochemistry ofthe middle-late Miocene Cabo de Gata volcanic complex, southeastSpain, indicate that the volcanic activity of the Cabo de Gata volcaniczone developed over a short period through several pulses of geochemicallyand isotopically different parental magmas. The oldestvolcanic rocks exposed in the Cabo de Gata volcanic zone are theshoshonite and high-K calc-alkaline rocks of Bujo group, which cry -stallised from a parental magma transitional from calc-alkaline toalkaline potassic generated through large degrees of partial melting,and then affected by a minor contribution from metasomatised veinsand a larger one from the surrounding mantle wedge, in comparisonto ultrapotassic melts. Subsequent partial melting of the mantlesource produced typical calc-alkaline parental magmas belonging tothe Rodalquilar and Agua Amarga groups. Sr-Nd-Pb isotope andincompatible trace element distributions of Cabo de Gata rocks arein agreement with a mantle-wedge source affected by a two-foldmetasomatism. The data suggested that mild potassic to sub-alkalinesubduction-related parental magmas (i.e., high-K calc-alkaline andcalc-alkaline) were generated in the Cabo de Gata sector within amantle wedge metasomatised by a fluid-dominated agent. In contrast,the enrichment in K2O of shoshonitic to ultrapotassic magmaswas achieved through recycling of subducted sediments throughmelts that enriched the mantle wedge in K and related elements.Such a scenario can be easily reconciled with a geodynamic settingat the edge of a destructive plate margin with the subducted slabresponsible for the recycling of sediments within the mantle wedge.